Drugs
A drug is any biological substance, synthetic or non-synthetic, that is taken primarily for non-dietary needs. It is usually synthesized outside of an organism, but introduced into an organism to produce its action. That is, when taken into the organism's body, it will produce some effects or alter some bodily functions (such as relieving symptoms, curing diseases or used as preventive medicine or any other purposes). To many people the word "drug" primarily means "illegal recreational drugs". Note that natural endogenous biochemicals (such as hormones) can bind to the same receptor in the cell, producing the same effect as a drug. Thus, drug is merely an artificial definition that distinguishes whether that molecule is synthesized within an organism or outside an organism. For instance, insulin is a hormone that is synthesized in the body; it is considered as a hormone when it is synthesized by the pancreas inside the body, but if it is introduced into the body from outside, it is considered as a drug. It is a substance which is not food,Some substances, such as beers, wines, and some fungi, are sometimes regarded as both foods and drugs and which, when ingested, affects the functioning of the mind, or the body, or both. However, under the philosophy of Chinese medicine, food is also considered a drug as it affects particular parts of body and cures some diseases. Thus, food does satisfy the above definition of drug so long as ingestion of it would alter some bodily functions. Classification Medication can be usually classified in various ways, e.g. by its chemical properties, mode of administration, or biological system affected. An elaborate and widely used classification system is the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification System (ATC system). Types of medicines: #Antipyretics : reducing fever #Analgesics : painkillers #Anti-malarial drugs : treating malaria #Antibiotics : inhibiting germ growth #Antiseptics : prevention of germ growth near burns, cuts and wounds Types of medication of interest to psychologists *Adrenergic blocking drugs *Adrenergic drugs *Analeptic drugs *Analgesic drugs *Anesthetic drugs *Anti inflammatory drugs *Antiandrogens *Antibiotics *Anticoagulant drugs *Anticonvulsive drugs *Antidepressant drugs *Antiemetic drugs *Antiestrogens *Antihistaminic drugs *Antihypertensive drugs *Antineoplastic drugs *Antiarrhythmic drugs *Antispasmodic drugs *Antitremor drugs *Antitubercular drugs *Antiviral drugs *Appetite depressing drugs *Barbiturates *Benzodiazepines *Bromides *Cholinergic blocking drugs *Cholinergic drugs *Cholinesterase inhibitors *Cholinomimetic drugs *CNS affecting drugs *CNS depressant drugs *CNS stimulating drugs *Diuretics *Dopamine agonists *Emetic drugs *Ganglion blocking drugs *Hallucinogenic drugs *Heart rate effecting drugs *Hypnotic drugs *Muscle relaxing drugs *Narcotic agonists *Narcotic antagonists *Narcotic drugs *Neuromuscular-blocking drug *Neuroleptic drugs *Nootropic drugs *Psychotomimetic drugs *Respiration stimulating drugs *Sedatives *Serotonin agonists *Serotonin antagonists *Steroids *Sympatholytic drugs *Sympathomimetic drugs *Tricyclic antidepressant drugs *Tranquilizing drugs *Vasoconstrictor drugs *Vasodilator drugs Recreational drugs is one of the most widely used psychoactive substances in the world.]] Recreational drug use is the use of psychoactive drugs and hallucinogenic drugs for recreational purposes rather than for work, medical or spiritual purposes. Much controversy has arisen over recreational drug use, and governments across the world have regulated the consumption and/or distribution of drugs in the name of fighting drug abuse. *Narcotic drugs *Psychedelic drugs Drugs include: *Cannabis Legal definition of drugs Some countries also defined what a drug is by law. In the United States, the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act defines a drug as being an article "intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease in man or other animals" or an article "(other than food) intended to affect the structure or any function of the body of man or other animals." FDCA § 201(g)(1). Drugs as status symbols In most cultures, drugs are often seen as status symbols. This is true for both ancient and modern cultures. A good example of this is in ancient Egyptian culture, in which gods were commonly pictured holding hallucinogenic plants. Another good example of this is in modern secondary schools, where teenagers often boast about their drug use, be it real or not. A recent study from Morbidity and Mortality Weekly has shown that as much as sixty-percent of American high school students admit to having consumed illegal drugs at one point. Pharmacology of drugs *Acids *Alcohols *Alkaloids *Amines *Bioavailability *Enzymes *Enzyme inhibitor *Ergot derivatives *Hormones *Peptides *Proteins *Toxicity See also *Antibodies *Carcinogens *Channel blockers *Drug-related crime *Drug therapy *Insecticides *Illegal drug trade *List of drug lists *Medication *Nonprescription drugs *Nootropic drugs *Performance-enhancing drugs *Placebo (origins of technical term) *Prenatal exposure *Prescribing (drugs) *Prescription drugs *Psychoactive drug *Self medication *Side effects (drugs) *Teratogens *Vitamins Footnotes Further reading Key texts Books Papers Additional material Books Fisher R.D. & Christie G.A. (1982) A Dictionary of Drugs/ London:Paladin. Papers *Google Scholar Dissertations External links External links * [http://www.dukeupress.edu/books.php3?isbn=978-0-8223-3881-9 The Cult of Pharmacology: How America Became the World's Most Troubled Drug Culture] by Richard DeGrandpre, Duke University Press, 2006. Category:Drugs